My 4 year old is giving me hard time with her bathtime...

Trinity - posted on 03/08/2011
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My girl is 4 years old. I've never had a hard time with her on anything we didn't even have the notorious terrible 2s. We give her a bath everyday since she attends Daycare, and my husband usually ends up giving her a bath since I'm beat when I get home from work. As I was resting on the couch, my husband came out of the bathroom shaken and was tearing up. I asked for the reason and was told that our daughter had told him she wants her mommy to wash her and that she didn't like daddy and how she wants to go away. She has always given us a little fits because she hates bath time (she hates water touching her face), but he was pretty shaken by how she told him she doesn't like him. I'm heartbroken. Please help!

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Louise - posted on 03/09/2011

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This is normal and a phase they all go through as they are learning all about emotions. My two year old tells me alot to go away when she is busy playing and that she doesn't want me. It is just an expression and one that gets a reaction. Your husbands best bet is to say that hurts my feelings when you say that so stop it. Then he should stay in the bathroom and continue to wash her or she will do this again and again as a control thing. If he stays firm then she will stop, if she sees that he is upset she will do it more. The next time she comes out with that comment he should counter act it with well thats a shame because I love you and carry on. Tell your husband this is nothing personal to him it is just a way of asserting her control on the situation. It will pass I promise.

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Elizabeth - posted on 04/07/2011

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It isn't always easy to be a parent...but the words are going to get more harsh as she becomes a teenager so your husband is going to need to toughen up..and not let her show that it bothers him. A response like "that's too bad..but I still love you" will help her see that it doesn't matter. She isn't getting a reaction and that is what she wants.